The White Marlin Open is a 52-year-old deep-sea fishing event famous for being the world’s largest and richest billfish tournament. Hosted yearly in the waters of “The White Marlin Capital of the World,” a name bestowed upon Ocean City in 1939 by President Franklin Roosevelt, the competition reels in a massive crowd of spectators and competitors. Whether you’ve never heard of the White Marlin Open or you’re planning to visit and watch, here’s everything you should know about the tournament!
About the White Marlin Open
The White Marlin Open was founded in 1974 by the Motsko family. The inaugural tournament had 57 boats, 150 anglers, and a total prize purse of $20,000. The event has been hosted by Ocean City ever since, earning titles such as the “World’s Largest Billfishing Tournament.” It lives up to the name, as the total number of boat entries since 1974 exceeds 15,500.
“The White Marlin Open began in 1974 with 57 boats entered in the tournament and a top prize of 20,000 dollars,” said director Jim Motsko. “In 2018 we had 382 boats entered and paid out over 5,450,000 dollars in prize money. It’s grown a lot since the beginning.”
Since then the tournament has only gotten bigger, with this year’s edition of the White Marlin Open watching 282 boats chase $7.2 million in prize money. 2025 also welcomes back past winners such as the Waste Knot, Blue Runner, and Floor Reel.
Watching the Tournament
The end-of-day weigh-in is the most popular time to watch the White Marlin Open. Starting at 4:00, people can see fish get weighed on the scale as boats fight to climb the leaderboard all night. Many people also enjoy seeing the boats return to the inlet. Flags are flown on each boat as they return to signify what fishes were caught and which are going to the scale.
The edges of the inlet fill up quickly, so it’s recommended to arrive early. There are also two restaurants with views of the inlet, which are perfect places to ensure a spot to watch without the crowds. Harrison’s Harbor Watch and The Wedge both offer a clear look at the returning boats, making them popular choices for dinner during the tournament.
Another way to watch is at the festival downtown. Marlin Fest is held during the White Marlin Open, featuring a daily livestream of the tournament weigh-ins, live music, food & drink, and local vendors! It’s a great way to support the community while celebrating the competition. The event is also completely family-friendly, bringing the action straight to you on a big screen at the beach!
If you’re not able to attend in-person, you can still tune in online! The official White Marlin Open website features the MarlinCam, a livestream complete with commentators and real-time reports as the fish hit the scales. If you want to see the inlet and returning boats, you can watch the cameras from The Wedge here.
